Artist’s residencies are extremely important as they tend to have a lasting impact on the artists ranging from substantial shifts in their work and or in the direction of their practice. They often enable artists to develop new networks and meet others from different backgrounds. Overall they also offer artists that much needed period of contemplation and reassessment. Residencies allow the Arts Office to support Arts Practitioners ‘assisting artists in realising their artistic ambitions’ (Arts Council of Ireland).

Stephane Kiszak is currently undertaking a residency at Kilkenny County Councils Arts Office, no. 72 John Street. Stephane’s intention is to create a series of paintings developing a new technique of his incorporating collage, computer manipulation and paint on canvas. It’s important for him to have time and space to explore and experiment with these techniques and materials in order to continue developing work he has started. He has already created two paintings which are an important starting point and will inform the work he will produce over the six week duration of his residency at no. 72. The primary benefit for him to work in this residency is to focus on this body of work and to meet people and talk about the project. As Stephane is a Belgian artist currently based here in Kilkenny this opportunity will also enable him to be involved in the Kilkenny community. He is also involving Eoghan O’ Brien, an artist based in the KCAT studio in Callan. His technique is to collect images before painting and Stephane and Eoghan will exchange drawings. He considers his own painting technique to be really raw, directly influenced by l’Art Brut (raw art) and artists like Arnulf Rainer who did a lot of works in collaboration with disabled artists from Haus der Kunstler.These activities enable the Arts Office to expose the general public, third level students, other artists and community groups to the working processes of artists as both the artist, Stephane and the Arts Officer welcomes visitors dropping in to chat to Stephane who is working in residence until Friday 29th June.

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Art at No. 76

The aim and focus of the Art Residency at No. 76 is to enable the successful applicant to research and develop their practice.
Other aims of the residency are to:
give insights into how and why artists create their work,
build relationships and further promote the Arts,
provide an awareness and further appreciation of the Arts,
cultivate and develop new audiences.
The Kilkenny Arts Office is part of ArtLinks.ie